Which principle did Enlightenment thinkers advocate regarding governance?

Enlightenment thinkers strongly advocated for the concept of social contracts among individuals as a foundational principle of governance. This idea, primarily articulated by philosophers like John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, suggested that government's authority is derived from the consent of the governed, rather than through divine right or hereditary rule.

The social contract posits that individuals agree to form societies and governments to protect their natural rights—such as life, liberty, and property. By entering into a social contract, citizens delegate certain powers to government in exchange for security and the protection of their rights. This framework challenges traditional authority and promotes the belief in individual rights and egalitarianism, laying the groundwork for modern democratic theories.

The other choices represent concepts that the Enlightenment thinkers questioned or opposed. Absolute monarchy without question and the divine right of kings reflect a concentration of power in monarchs, which Enlightenment philosophers critiqued, advocating instead for checks and balances on power. The idea of separation of church and state, while also significant in Enlightenment thought, is not as directly linked to the foundational governance principle as the concept of social contracts, which fundamentally reshaped political philosophy and practice during this period.